Sea-Dweller Deepsea

A watch developed for extreme depths

The Watch Quote™ - September 23rd, 2008

When beautiful photos… speak louder than words

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller

A watch developed for extreme depths

The new Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller Deepsea is a product of man’s inherent desire to push the boundaries of his dreams and his potential.Waterproof to an extreme depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet), this new-generation diver’s watch confirms the supremacy of Rolex in the mastery of waterproofness and demonstrates an ever-present pursuit of excellence. The Sea-Dweller Deepsea responds to the most exacting demands of professional divers in terms of robustness, precision and reliability. With its intrinsic capabilities, the Sea-Dweller Deepsea takes a rightful place in the prestigious Oyster family. It illustrates the pioneering spirit that led Rolex to develop, as early as the 1950s, divers’ watches like the Submariner and the Sea-Dweller. Its name pays tribute to the Deep Sea Special, the experimental prototype that in 1960 plunged to a depth of 10,916 metres in the Mariana Trench.

Technical features

Case architecture and waterproofness

A watch developed for extreme depths, guaranteed waterproof to 3,900 metres (12,800 feet), the Sea-Dweller Deepsea required the design of a case with a unique architecture, the Ringlock System. This innovation patented by Rolex consists of a combination of three distinctive features:

The high-performance ring

Set inside the middle case of the watch between the crystal and the case back, the high-performance nitrogen-alloyed stainless steel ring withstands the pressure exerted by water on the crystal and the case back.The middle case is made from 904L steel.

The sapphire crystal

To resist pressure, the synthetic sapphire crystal is slightly domed and substantially thicker than the crystals of other Oyster models.

The case back

The case back is made of a titanium alloy, an extremely resistant stainless material. It is held in place against the high-performance ring by means of a 904L-steel ring.

The helium valve is made of high-performance stainless steel. Its size is adapted to the dimensions of the case to achieve optimal waterproofness. The helium valve is a safety feature which, during the decompression phase, releases the gases that infiltrate into the watch during caisson dives.Indeed, between dives at great depths, professional divers use pressurised caissons in which they breathe high-pressure gas mixtures, notably containing helium, a very volatile gas that penetrates into the watch. As the diver resurfaces, the helium valve prevents damage to the watch.The Triplock winding crown, equipped with three seals and screwed onto the case, completes this ingenious waterproof system.